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Thalia's Cucina : a new Italian restaurant in Nipomo

I hesitate to write about it yet, I've only been once, but want to alert others to the new Italian restaurant in Nipomo, just north of Santa Maria on the Central Coast.

Just down the street and across from Jocko's on Thompson Ave, in Old Town Nipomo. It's located in the spot where Pie Hole Pizza started out. The new owners (two brothers) have extensive experience in Italian kitchens and have brought their own tastes to the menu.

There is a small casual yet comfortable dining room with an open kitchen, and tables for about 30. The menu is typical, but the dishes I've tasted so far are carefully made from scratch.

Soups, salads, pasta, (including fresh seafood alfredo) thin crust pizza, and desserts are all hand made in the kitchen, using locally sourced fresh foods if at all possible. (The tomatoes for the red pasta sauce were grown just a few blocks away in Nipomo, the mushrooms from Huasna, the fish is local, etc)

I popped in one day to confirm a large group coming the next day, and my eager questions about the restaurant were greeted by free samples of a creamy mushroom soup (rich with butter and cream) and the cheesy butternut squash filling for the ravioli. Both most excellent.

In our group of nine, we had soup, romaine salads, Chicken Marsala, Eggplant Parmesan, pizza, and buttenrut squah ravioli, and fettucini alfredo, and spaghetti with meatballs. The red sauce was mild and flavorful, and the pizza was dressed with olive oil, not red sauce. Everyone was very pleased with their meals. We all shared two cakes: a layer carot cake, rich with nuts and carrots, and a moist layer chocolate cake. Both very good, but hard to appreciate with the heavier meals we'd just eaten. IIR, Apple Tart, Creme Brulee and Tiramisu were also on the menu.

There was no problem getting all our 9 meals out at the same time, probably because the room is small, but with only three staff members, their experience in running back and front house shows. Everything moved very smoothly. Table service was professional and cordial.

I will be back, and urge others to try this good new restaurant in our community.

Just off 101 at the Tefft exit; travel east towards the hills and turn right at the stoplight. Go to the next corner, turn left. It's right there! Open at this time for dinner only, they will gradually extend their hours. There is a large separate room at the rear of the main dining room which can serve larger parties. I apologize for not having more definitive information--they are not yet listed anywhere online, and I wanted to get this out.

You probably have most of the ingredients on hand for these simple, elegant crab cakes; just make a quick run to the seafood market for fresh lump crabmeat. Toss together a bright, seasonal salad while the crab cakes chill.